


That’s Not the Correct Word to Say

by 2space_lesbo1



Category: Stranger Things - Fandom
Genre: Bitchin, Dad Hopper, Domestic Fluff, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, F/M, Fluff, Gen, I NEEDED MORE FLUFF, I posted this on my phone, Mileven, Steve is a Mom, They’re children, eleven watch you’re language, eleven would love him and you know it, please pardon any tagging errors, so here, sweet and innocent children, to all the kids i swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 02:00:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13284558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/2space_lesbo1/pseuds/2space_lesbo1
Summary: Eleven is excited to visit Mike’s house again. So excited she put on one of her new dresses and the jacket Steve had bought her. She thought she looked bitchin, but everybody has their own opinions, she supposed.





	That’s Not the Correct Word to Say

**Author's Note:**

> Hey look I wrote another Stranger Things fanfic. That took a while. But I wanted to write this after thinking about how Eleven probably wouldn’t really know the proper times and places to actually say bitchin and how she’d probably use it to describe how she looks at least at one point around Mike and others because, well, that’s one of the only descriptive words she knows aside from pretty. 
> 
> Also yes, I support Steve being a mom to all of the sweet, sweet children. You know he’d take them on shopping trips if they asked.

It was a Saturday and Eleven was beyond excited because Hopper was finally letting her see Mike at his house. While she enjoys the cabin that Hopper has let her stay in for the past year it could get quite tiring to see the same, small building everyday for such a long time and she was needing to get out again. The last time she had been out was when she closed the Gate and Mike had told her that that had been around a month or so ago- a long time, she gathered. Which yes, she definitely thought that it was a long time. Hopper has been firm for the longest time on keeping her in the cabin and not letting her out aside for short walks, nervous that some of the bad people may see her. 

But finally, finally, she was being allowed to go to Mike’s house. She greatly misses it; it was her first true home as far as she could tell. She wanted to see the basement again, the blanket fort she had stayed and be in such a comfortable area after so long. And this time, as Hopper had told her, it wouldn’t have to be in secret. Meaning Mike’s family would know she’s there and she wouldn’t have to hide and sneak around there anymore. Seems odd to her, but she’s excited she won’t have to stay hidden in different places while Mike’s mother or sister are nearby. 

Plus, she’s grown to like Nancy. She’s nice and really pretty. She’d like to be like Nancy one day. Pretty and kind. Mike says that Nancy could be kind of annoying when living with her but Eleven couldn’t see how. 

She smiles brightly as Hopper parks the car outside of Mike’s house. She hadn’t seen the front of his house as much of the back or inside but she could recognize it from a mile away. She hops out as soon as the car stops despite Hopper trying to talk to her about her behaviour, too excited to see Mike to listen currently. The fabric of the dress she’d chosen to wear lightly brushed against her legs as she hops out with a small giggle, small curls bobbing. 

Not too long after she’d closed the Gate Ms. Byers, Nancy and someone named Steve took her out to shop for new clothes. Dustin had told her that Steve could be trusted be he had become a great and cool guy. She has gone on two separate shopping trips: the first one with Ms. Byers and Nancy and the second with Steve. Both Nancy and Steve had been appalled upon seeing her wardrobe, though they seemed to have trouble being with one another. So they had settled on two separate trips. 

She had wanted Mike to go with her but his face had scrunched up and he shook his head, quickly apologized after. He had hurt her feelings at his reaction so he informed her that shopping for clothes was more of a “girl thing”. 

Even if Steve had agreed to taking her alone the second trip. 

When she had gone with Ms. Byers and Nancy they had went to this really big, spacious shopping center filled with lots of people which Ms. Byers had told her was a mall. Nancy then had told her that a mall was filled with all kinds of shops. They had gone through many of these separate shops with all kinds of assortments of clothing, ranging from dresses- which Eleven quite liked- to glitter and jewel encrusted jeans. She had ended up buying three dresses- one bright pink which had reminded her of the dress she had worn before, one with a white base and small, red flowers as its pattern, and the last one being completely black to remind her of her sister-, two plaid shirts- Nancy didn’t seem to like them but she loved plaid shirts still- and three pairs of jeans. 

The second trip with Steve had been a little more… awkward at first. She hadn’t known him from before the bathtub like she had Nancy and Ms. Byers but because Dustin liked him and Dustin was a friend she had given him a chance. 

She ended up growing to really like him. 

While his face was still a little purple because of healing bruises he kept a smile on his face most of the time and was very nice. He talked to her about all kinds of things she hadn’t really understood before: bands and music, some movies, a few types of video games and love. He really helped her with love, explaining some of us feelings to her as she silently sucked on a spoonful of chocolate ice cream. 

She ended up associating the feelings he described to her with Mike. She ended up discovering she loved Mike, in away. 

She also ended up with a black jacket- reminiscent of her sister-, a “Metallica” shirt(Steve played their music for her one the way back), a pair of ripped jeans and a set of bows along with two necklaces. Also a box of eggos because she begged him to buy them- they were limited edition flavor!! She had to try them with Hopper later!!

She is currently wearing the black dress and cover jacket, hair still a mess like it usually is with a small clip in it. She as a pair of tennis shoes which Hopper has bought her a while back after her shopping trips. Apparently he wanted to buy her some clothes as well. 

“Hey, wait up kid,” Hopper calls as he shuts the door to his car, sliding his hands into his pockets as he follows behind the excited girl. He is wearing casual clothes today. It’s one of his rare days off. He would also have tomorrow off which is why he had let her come here instead of spending time with him instead. Also because she had begged insistently. She pauses in her tracks, clapping her hands behind her back as patiently as she could. He reaches her and gives her a warm smile. “Now, what are the rules while you’re out?”

“Don’t be stupid,” she announced proudly, nodding her head as she falls into pace with him. He chuckles and gives her a side look. She continues down the actually small list, “Don’t go out without permission, don’t close the door when alone with Mike-” she scowls at that rule, not fully understanding it- “don’t be rude and have a good time.” 

“Atta girl,” Hopper said with a large grin now, lightly ruffling her hair. She giggles and bats at his hand before they reach the door and she falls silent, remembering how she would be finally meeting Mike’s mom for the first time. 

Nancy had usually been the one to drop Mike off at their house- or, he’d just ride there on his bike with another friend tagging along. A few times Max had come with him, the new girl. Eleven hadn’t liked her at first- Steve had explained that that feeling was jealousy- but then she saw her with Lucas and found out that she was actually okay and nice. 

“You ready?” Hopper asked patiently, understanding her nerves perfectly. She wets her lips and nods a moment later, nervously running her fingers down the front of her dress. Hopper ruffles her hair once more before knocking. A moment passes and the door opens, revealing a woman a tad shorter than Hopper. Eleven recognizes her as Mike’s mother. 

“Hello, Chief Hopper,” Mike’s mother said with a small and somewhat fake smile. At least, that’s how it looked to Eleven. She doesn’t really like to trust people easily and this woman would not be any different. Steve told her that that was called having “trust issues”. The woman’s eyes land on Eleven and the smile seems to be a bit more strained as she takes in the smaller girl’s appearance. “And you must be… Eleven. I’m Mrs. Wheeler. Mike has been excited to see you.” 

Speak of the devil and he shall appear, as Hopper has said a few times in the past. There’s a loud thumping from behind Mike’s mother and then Mike is pushing past his mom and throwing his arms around Eleven’s shoulder. Eleven gasps in surprise before quickly returning the hug, happy to be with Mike again. She thinks he gives the best hugs. Then again, she is biased. 

“Hey, El!” Mike exclaimed, pulling back from the hug. A grin covers his face and Eleven has to smile back. “I’ve missed you!”

“You saw her two days ago at her house,” Mrs. Wheeler points out and now her smile appears more genuine. Eleven glances up towards the new adult shyly and relaxes when Mike lightly grabs her hand into his. “Now, why don’t we go inside. It’s a bit cool out.” 

Eleven would have to agree with that statement. It is getting chilly again, the cool air brushing against her mostly bare legs. The shin high socks only do so much with the fluttering dress. Though, she doesn’t mind too much if she’s not outside for too long. Mike leads Eleven inside and towards the stairs leading to the basement but is stopped when his mother calls, “Now just wait one moment, Michael. I still want to actually speak to… Eleven.” 

Eleven had taken notice not too long ago that many people found her name strange. She didn’t understand why. She’s always been called Eleven- now recently El by her friends and Jane by Hopper and occasionally Ms. Byers- so she’s used to it as a name. Mike had tried to explain to her that most people aren’t name with numbers but she didn’t really get why, still. She doesn’t question it, though. Few still call her by her full name, after all. Normally they only call her Eleven when they’re excited to see her after a long time or are trying to quickly warn her about something. Steve still calls her Eleven, still, only occasionally calling her El. Basically with Steve it was the opposite as everyone else. Sometimes it could be hard for her to keep up with all of the name shifts, especially with the newer addition of Jane. 

She loves the name Jane. Her mother had given it to her as a baby and by all rights that’s what she should go as when she introduces herself to people. Hopper has started to call her Jane nearly instantly after Eleven’s short run off trip to see her mother. And, after Ms. Byers had found out about her birth name, the nice lady started calling her Jane as well. She’s okay with that. Her sister and mother had also called her Jane, after all. 

It’ll just take some time to get used to after being called Eleven her whole life. Besides, it didn’t mean she had to stop going as Eleven or El. At least, that’s what Nancy told her. 

“If that’s what you like being called,” Nancy had said, slowly and gently dragging a brush through Eleven’s shorter hair, “then that’s what you can be called. Just like my friend Barbra went by Barb instead.”

Mike scowls but steps back down with reluctance. Hopper stands just inside the doorway, arms crossed as he looks around the house, almost as if inspecting it for those “audio chips” as he’d called them. She knew that he was just being careful. And she understood why. She doesn’t want the bad men to find her and take her away again. 

“Well…, Eleven, tell me a bit about yourself,” Mrs. Wheeler begins and Eleven bites the inside of her cheek nervously. She’s never really been very good at talking to adults. Both Hopper and Mike appear ready to jump into the conversation at any needed moment but Eleven is suddenly determined to hold this conversation on her own. She straightens up and presses her lips together thinly. 

“You can…” she started and frowns when she hears how soft she sounds. She tries again, wanting to best her nerves. Mike’s hand holding hers helps her gain more courage to speak louder to another adult that’s not Hopper or Ms. Byers. “You can call me… El. Or- or Jane.” She adds the last part quickly, almost forgetting to. Most adults do prefer to call her Jane, after all. Mike doesn’t seem to like to, though. Or Dustin or Lucas, really. 

Mrs. Wheeler smiles softly once more and glances towards Hopper who is smiling down at Eleven, proudly, she would think. Maybe he is proud she was able to speak well to a newer adult. Most of the few others that try to speak to her normally receive a blank, if frightened stare before she runs to hide behind Hopper or Mike. Whoever is nearest, though usually it’s Mike. She doesn’t mean to run away, she shouldn’t be scared anymore. But the possibility of any one of the people being a bad man is too high for her. 

“Well, Jane,” Mrs. Wheeler picked up quickly, using the normal given name easily. “You look-”

“Bitchin,” Eleven said before she could stop herself, remembering that this is similar to the look her sister’s friend had described with that word. Though, she thinks that that may have been wrong because of the horrified expressions she receives from both adults. Though, Mike just appears shocked, mouth hung wide open. She looks frantically from his face to Hopper’s and back again. Was that the wrong thing to say? 

“Jane,” Hopper said and his firm voice he uses when scolding her makes her frown. She probably shouldn’t have said that, it would seem. “Where did you hear that?”

“Probably Dustin,” Mike stated matter of fact my before he seems to realize that that was a wrong thing to say because his mom turns her wide eyes to his face. Mike falls silent and Eleven believes it’s best for him to. 

“You should not say that, Jane, even if your friends do,” Hopper said, pointedly glaring at Mike. He appears like he’s about to say something but wisely closes his mouth. 

“But… it wasn’t my friend,” Eleven protested quietly and Hopper mumbles something to himself. 

“Yes, well, don’t say it again,” Hopper said, pointing the finger at her. She doesn’t like the finger. It’s annoying and hovers in front of her face. “It’s rude. And what’s one of the rules?” 

“Don’t be rude,” Eleven muttered in shame, looking down at her feet. 

“Okay good,” Hopper said with a firm nod, apologizing to Mrs. Wheeler. “If I were any other parent- I mean, adult, you would be heading off straight for home-“ at both Eleven and Mike’s panicked expressions Hopper raises a hand- “But, because you’ve waited so long patiently, I won’t do that. Now, be good, kid. I’ll pick you up in an hour.” 

As Hopper ruffles her head one last time, quickly apologizing to the still horrified Mrs. Wheeler, Mike tugs her hand and she lets him pull her down the stairs and into the basement she still calls home. She’s relaxing into the blanket fort when Mike asks, sitting beside her:

“So, where’d you hear that word?” 

She sighs. It was going to be a long story to tell.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope y’all enjoyed! And, if you did, please leave comments and/or kudos! Helps inspire me to continue writing because it shows you actually like my fics :)


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